"Two outstanding characters in a wonderful romance."

Adrian Burchard is on a mission to find the Duchess of Everdon, Sophia Raughley, and from what he's heard, this duchess is a woman who has no respect for the proper boundaries of society. That's reinforced when he finds Sophia scantily clad and being romanced by a scoundrel.

Adrian loads the duchess up and heads back to England to force her to take over her responsibilities - which include marrying so that her votes in the House of Commons will go the direction the king wants. Sophia isn't inclined to accompany him, but knows she must deal with the situation. And she'll do it her own way - not in the manner the king or Adrian may deem appropriate.

So begins a relationship that will birth a genuine liking and love. Sophia must learn to trust Adrian, as he must learn to open up to her. They also must be willing to buck society - after all, can a duchess really marry a bastard third son?

As with all of this author's books, I was immediately seduced by THE CHARMER. She intertwines characters from each book, giving them a familiarity and comfort that adds to the story. I loved Sophia and Adrian, both oddities in a society that values sameness. Ms. Hunter writes in a fresh, provocative manner that you'll love!

Reviewed by Morgan Chilson
Courtesy Old Book Barn Gazette
Posted November 30, 2003

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Summary

Their first meeting is not promising. Sent by the king to bring the Sophia Raughley home, Adrian Burchard finds her in another man's arms, at an orgy that includes the young artists who form her entourage. He soon discovers, however, that this errant daughter of the nobility hides secrets and wounds beneath her mask of frivolity, and possesses a vulnerable sensuality that draws him like no other woman has.

Sophia resents this man who high-handedly interferes with her life—a life in which she hides from the past. Worse, he seems to offer an intimacy that she dare not accept—until the night when he skillfully seduces her, peeling away the defenses to her heart as artfully as he does the layers of her clothing. As Sophia falls under the spell of his erotic charms, and Adrian finds himself unable to resist her passionate response, they embark on a dangerous affair. An affair that will either destroy them both, or prove the one thing that can save them when mysteries from the past reach out to entangle the present.